Additive-manufacturing methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPaul Nathaniel Wilson, Fatmata Haja Barrie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides methods of forming products using one or more lasers. In at least one aspect, a method for powder bed additive manufacturing includes defining a uniform pitch raster path for a laser traveling at a predetermined rate of travel. The raster path alternates back and forth within a strip width of less than 0.5 mm such that the laser's power density level is at least 80 percent of maximum power and the predetermined rate of travel yields a travel speed in the scan width direction of not less than 1,000 mm/s. The method includes depositing a layer of powder onto a substrate and causing the laser to solidify a quantity of the powder according to the defined raster path and the laser power setting.
Claims39
A method for powder bed additive manufacturing, comprising:
- producing a uniform pitch raster path for a laser traveling at a predetermined rate of travel comprising a scan width direction and a traverse direction perpendicular to the scan width direction, wherein the laser comprises a beam diameter, wherein the raster path alternates back and forth in the scan width direction forming a laser sheet having a strip width of 0.08 mm to 0.2 mm, wherein the laser has a laser-beam average power of 200 W to 1,000 W, and the predetermined rate of travel yields a travel speed in the scan width direction of not less than 1,000 mm/s, wherein the strip width is greater than the beam diameter;
- depositing a layer of powder onto a substrate;
- and
- causing the laser to solidify a quantity of the powder according to the produced raster path and the laser power setting.
A method for additive manufacturing, comprising:
- depositing a layer of material onto a substrate;
- and
- treating the material with a laser by moving the laser at a travel speed in a scan width direction of not less than 1,000 mm/s in a raster path relative to the substrate, the laser having a laser-beam average power of 200 W to 1,000 W and a laser beam having a beam diameter of 0.05 or greater, wherein moving the laser in the scan width direction forms a laser sheet having a strip width of 0.08 mm to 0.2 mm, wherein the strip width is greater than the beam diameter, wherein:
- the raster path comprises a traverse distance along a traverse direction perpendicular to the scan width direction of 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and
- the raster path comprises an average hatch spacing along the traverse direction between the strip width and a next strip width of 0.04 mm to 2 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.